IS BUGG • D AH “E Ala Na Moku Kai Liloloa” S F W R E E In This Issue: N E! E • Save Dillingham Airfield R S Page 4 O I N H Remembering Rick Rogers C S E Renaissance Man H Page 6 1 T 9 R 7 O "Something Magical" 0 N The Kunia Orchid Show Page 12-13 NORTH SHORE NEWS March 11, 2020 VOLUME 37, NUMBER 5 Thunderstorm Artis Scores a Four-Chair Turn on “The Voice” By Tom Jacobs Thunderstorm Artis, local Haleiwa resident and talented musician, and son of (the late) Ron Artis and his wife Victoria, has become an, or more prob- ably the, odds-on probable winner of this season’s TV singing talent contest on NBC’s The Voice. He appeared on the March 2nd show singing the Bea- tles’ beautiful song, “Blackbird.” He turned all four of the judges’ chairs around … three within a few seconds of the song’s start. All four begged Thun- derstorm to join his or her team. He chose singer/ songwriter John Legend … a fine choice since Thun- derstorm also writes songs and plays several musical instruments. He accompanied his singing on The Voice with his guitar, causing one of the judges, country singer Blake Shelton, to wonder whether Thunderstorm felt more comfortable singing or playing. I first met Thunderstorm’s dad, Ron Artis, at my dentist’s in Haleiwa. That chance meeting soon became long afternoons at the Artis home on Kam Highway in the center of Haleiwa while my wife and I, and our kids, and our friends, listened and ap- plauded while the whole (and I mean whole) family played and sang for us. That meant Ron (who had accompanied Michael Jackson on piano, along with many other big names) Victoria, herself a profes- sional songstress, Thunderstorm, and his ten broth- ers and sisters … all of whom, it seemed, could play all of the musical instruments that crowded the Ar- Thunderstorm Artis tis lanai/performance studio. Thunderstorm is a remark- able talent who should win The PERMIT NO. 1479 NO. PERMIT Voice’s competition. The Artis RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER RESIDENTIAL HONOLULU, HI HI HONOLULU, family is no less remarkable. PAID PAID U.S. POSTAGE POSTAGE U.S. *******ECRWSSEDDM**** ECRWSS PRSRT STD STD PRSRT Page 2 northshorenews.com March 11, 2020 HAWAII SYMPHONIC BAND The Artis Family The remarkable Artis family Victor, Stephanie, PraiseJesus Saturday, 21st March 2020 and Kailua Artis are continuing the legacy of their father 7:30pm Ron Artis as portrait artists and muralists. Stephanie, PraiseJesus and Spirit Artis are also doing McKay Auditorium music workshops and private lessons around the island. Brigham Young University – Hawaii But, lets not forget American Artis who recently appeared in concert dancing with Nile Rodgers and Chic. The three Laie, HI youngest children Kailua, American and Artis Artis Admission Free are currently producing dance videos! For more information contact As a part of an ongoing partnership with Brigham Victoria Artis Young University–Hawaii, the Hawaii Symphonic (808) 222-7589. Band performs on campus each year as BYUH’s resident ensemble. This residency offers the Music Department at BYUH to showcase outstanding students, ensembles, and faculty members in performance or projects in collaboration with the HSB. The upcoming concert will feature a premiere of student composer Samuel D. Kuoha’s first work for wind band, Epica di Diana. Featured guest soloist is pianist Dr. Scott McCarrey performing the Warsaw Concerto by Richard Addinsell. HSB’s Music Directors are Steven Hirahara, Kent Sato, and Ernest Taniguchi. House doors open at 7:00pm. Children welcome but they must be accompanied by an adult and remain seated and quiet during performance. Infants are unfortunately not allowed. 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Happy Birthday Florence! ◆ ◆ ◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ March 11, 2020 northshorenews.com Page 3 Page 4 northshorenews.com March 11, 2020 Save Dillingham Airfield By: Ben Devine Each morning the rising sun reveals a patch of opportunities in our community will be so much air that I call home. The trade winds are steady from greater. the sea as they rise up the mountain ridge-line. The Please write the Governor and the DOT to ask lifting breath of wind makes magic in a scrap of them to give the community more time to address sky just above that field by the ocean. The air there the issues and figure out a feasible solution. For ad- at Kawaihapai Airport, more commonly known as ditional news and information, or how you can help, Dillingham Airfield, is truly special and like no other please visit SaveDillinghamAirfield.com place on earth. It belongs to everyone in Hawai’i in- discriminately, just as the ocean does. It belongs to you. On June 30th 2020, that will be taken away. The Airfield is a vital community resource that gives everyone a chance to fly. It offers public access to tourists, emergency services, the surrounding hik- ing trails and a path for the sons and daughters of Hawaii to pursue their pilots license through aviation programs like the Civil Air Patrol. The state gave notice in February 2020 that businesses who have been located at the Airfield for decades must move in only a few months. Even if moving was feasible, that is not enough time. For the glider operations and skydiving industry there are no other suitable airports in the state. The Airfield represents more than 130 good jobs, and the families they support. The negative economic ripple effect will be felt through the whole north shore. Yet, the impact it will have on the lives and Pacific International Skydiving Center Skydive Hawaii March 11, 2020 northshorenews.com Page 5 Supreme Court To Hear Bat Case Na Pua Makani Habitat Plan in Question The Hawaii Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge against the habitat conservation plan (Plan) of the controversial Na Pua Makani wind project (Project) in Kahuku. Without an approved Plan and related incidental take license (Take License), the Project would face serious legal consequences for killing or harming endangered species. Without a Take License, the Project will not likely operate. Keep the North Shore Country, along with Kahuku resident Elizabeth Rago, requested a contested case on the Project’s Plan in 2016. After several months of briefings, oral arguments and consideration, the hearing officer agreed with KNSC and Rago, and rec- ommended the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) deny the Plan. In early 2018, the BLNR disregarded the recom- mendation and approved the Plan. KNSC appealed through the courts and the case has now risen to the Supreme Court. The case largely concerns the measures to minimize the take of the endangered ‘ope‘ape‘a (Hawaiian hoary bat) and mitigate (replace) the take. The Project is intensely unpopular due to the enormous size of the turbines and proximity to the residents and schools of Kahuku. More than 200 people were arrested for protesting delivery of the turbine parts, and the community remains united in opposition to the Project. Other legal challenges moving against the Project include KNSC’s contested case regarding the setback distance of two turbines, and Life of the Land’s chal- lenge of the power purchase agreement now under review at the Public Utilities Commission. North Shore News Easter Issue Publication Date: April 8 Deadline Date: March 27 Call for discounted rates STEVE & NANCY ALTON REALTOR-ASSOCIATES® RS-74192 / RS-82589 (808) 798-6904 [email protected] (808) 798-7423 [email protected] THE ALTON TEAM PACIFIC PROPERTIES Operated by a Waikele Office 94-799 Lumiaina Street, Suite A1 Waipahu, HI 96797 www.SteveAlton.cbintouch.com Page 6 northshorenews.com March 11, 2020 Remembering Rick Rogers – Renaissance Man by Boyd Ready Our dear friend and Historic Committee Member of as clouds. He recently gave masterful, illustrated lectures Haleiwa Main Street for over 15 years, Captain Rick Rog- at Waialua Library on Hawaii’s geology, natural history, ers, was suddenly killed in an aircraft crash at Dillingham ancient Hawaiian, and modern history. Airfield in Kawaihapai on February 22nd. No one knows In Haleiwa’s current history he holds pride of place all that Rick did and accomplished, but let us give you as ‘Captain Haleiwa.’ In the early ‘80’s he had been rent- a glimpse of a life well lived, rooted in Waialua and our ing the 900-seat stone-masonry Haleiwa Theater to show North Shore. movies when demolition was suddenly and illegally start- Rick was born in Missouri and finished high school ed on a Saturday. He stood on the wreckage, in pink cape, near Charleston, South Carolina. He and his wife Lois ar- tights and goggles every day for six weeks to protest the rived in Hawaii and lived a life, at first, of itinerant ex- destruction of the historic building. He didn’t save the plorers, using a Volkswagen van, camping, and exploring theatre, but the City’s ‘Historic Design District’ ordinance the Big Island. He wrote his first book “Shipwrecks of was born from his flamboyant protest that publicized the Hawai`i” in the late `90s and has worked on a number desecration.